


it's been a while since i held you close

by coupe_de_foudre



Series: fluffy february fics [3]
Category: Generation Kill
Genre: (sorta) - Freeform, Fluff, Hugs, I wanna say established relationship but like... is it tho??, M/M, Post-Afghan, Pre-Canon, Reunions, Soft Ray, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-13 12:07:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29028444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coupe_de_foudre/pseuds/coupe_de_foudre
Summary: There’s a faint stumble from inside, followed by the shout of “Coming!” and Ray can’t help but smile wider, a nervous chuckle escaping his lips. It isn’t until the door in front of him is being ripped open, revealing an all too familiar face, that he realises he hadn’t planned what to actually say.For once, Ray’s speechless.It doesn’t help that Nate looks really good.
Relationships: Nate Fick/Ray Person
Series: fluffy february fics [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2126451
Comments: 4
Kudos: 13





	it's been a while since i held you close

**Author's Note:**

> oop this was a request over on [tumblr](https://a-beautiful-struggle-of-life.tumblr.com/) (i hope you like it, hun!). i adore these two but i have limited experience writing either of them so apologies if it's ooc....

Ray taps his fingers against the steering wheel of his truck, the end of the song fading out on whatever radio station he switched over to as he entered the state. His eyes are trained on the house in front of him, matching address scrawled down on a crumpled piece of paper he shoved into his glove compartment weeks ago. Back when he wasn’t even sure if he’d make this trip.

_But here he is._

It’s as though that single thought gives him sudden clarity, his mind blanking just long enough for him to convince himself to step out of his truck. He doesn’t grab the overnight bag he left in the passenger seat. Doesn’t want to be presumptuous.

The walk up the quaint, yet neatly kept, front lawn – paved path leading by luscious green grass and flowers Ray doesn’t even know the name of – is quick and before he knows it he’s arrived outside the painted red door. He smiles at the bright colour, standing out from the other houses nearby.

And then, before he can think too long about it, he raises his fist and knocks.

There’s a faint stumble from inside, followed by the shout of “Coming!” and Ray can’t help but smile wider, a nervous chuckle escaping his lips. It isn’t until the door in front of him is being ripped open, revealing an all too familiar face, that he realises he hadn’t planned what to actually say.

For once, Ray’s speechless.

It doesn’t help that Nate looks _really_ good. His hair has grown a good few inches since Afghan; now looking twice as shaggy and twice as soft than Ray remembers. He’s kept in shape, of course, and that’s only made more obvious by the skinny sweatpants that are managing to somehow look both slimming and loose all at once. His pale skin has returned, though. That sun-kissed tan they’d all managed to gain on their last tour finally fading away.

Ray never thought pale skin was attractive until he met Nate. Somehow, the man made it look pretty. Like a damn Disney princess, he thinks before scolding himself when he realises they’ve just been stood in an awkward silence for almost a full minute.

“Ray?” Nate is the one to break the silence between them, head tilting to the side in an unfairly adorable way as the confusion he’s feeling makes itself known across his face.

Ray licks his lips, clearing his throat and going for casual as he says, “Nate! I can’t believe you didn’t give me a fake address. I was totally expecting a hot old babe to answer the door.”

Nate rolls his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest, but the twitch of his lips gives everything away. Ray laughs.

“No, seriously, I’m sorry it took so long for me to… y’know, show up.”

“I was starting to think you’d had a change of heart.” Nate says, voice unbothered but face saying entirely different. The admission makes Ray’s heart ache and suddenly he feels guilty for not keeping in touch in so long. He should’ve known better than to believe Nate was just stringing him along.

“I’m sorry.” he sighs, resisting the urge to scuff the toe of his sneakers against the floor like a scolded child. Instead, he lets out a self-depreciating laugh. “Guess I didn’t know what to expect.”

Nate unfolds his arms, shaking his head. There’s a familiar softness to his eyes as he takes a step closer to Ray, fingers brushing along the back of his hand. If the slight touch is meant to comfort Ray, it works.

Ray watches as Nate open his mouth only to close it again, chewing over his words carefully – as always. The crease on his forehead deepens and Ray wants nothing more than to smooth it out with a kiss. But he holds back, waiting for Nate to make the first move.

“I’m sorry.” Nate eventually whispers, lacing his fingers with Ray’s as he glances down at their hands. “I didn’t ever want you to doubt what… whatever we had. What we _have_. That was never my intention.”

His eyes burn, all of a sudden, and Ray blinks furiously to fight back the tears that threaten to fall. He tries to laugh but it comes out as nothing more than a watery sigh and he slumps forward instead, head coming to rest on Nate’s chest.

He’s immediately surrounded with the scent of Nate. Just Nate. Memories flooding back at tenfold, stolen kisses, lingering touches, longing glances, the warmth and protection he’s always felt when he knows Nate is close.

“I missed you.” he chokes out into Nate’s chest, shoulders sagging as he feels strong arms wrap themselves around his small frame and hold him close. Nate buries his nose into Ray’s hair, warm breath ghosting over his scalp with a deep-rooted sigh. Ray smiles, a genuine smile that he feels right to his bones, for the first time in a long while.

“Missed you too, Ray.” Nate says, the vibrations of his voice comforting Ray. “You wanna go out somewhere nice? I know a good bar nearby.” It’s sweet, Ray thinks, that Nate wants to take him out. He’d always promised to take him on a proper date.

But Ray shakes his head, nose brushing over the collar of Nate’s baggy hoodie and finding exposed skin. He presses a kiss to Nate’s collarbone. “I’m tired, just cuddle me.”

Nate laughs, the sound something Ray hadn’t even realised he’d missed until now. “Well, that I can do.” And he does, squeezing Ray closer to him and resting his head atop Ray’s, lips dancing over his temple in what Ray can only call a silent promise for what’s to come later. When they’re inside and away from possible prying eyes.

But for now, a hug is more than enough.

**Author's Note:**

> tysm for reading! any and all feedback is greatly appreciated <3


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